Director of Operations

Director of Operations

Northgate Industries Ltd. | Acheson, Alberta

For over 50 years, Northgate Industries Ltd. has designed and manufactured customized modular structures for commercial, industrial, oil and gas, and permanent multi-family construction. From initial design and planning through manufacturing, delivery and installation, we provide complete modular building solutions.

As an Alberta-owned company, we have built our reputation on quality, speed, accountability and getting the job done. Modular construction is a fast-moving manufacturing environment, and we are looking for an experienced operational leader who thrives in that pace.

The Opportunity

Northgate is seeking a hands-on, energetic and solutions-driven Director of Operations to oversee the execution of our manufacturing projects and the teams responsible for delivering them.

This is not a desk-only leadership position.

The Director of Operations will work closely with the President and oversee key operational functions including Project Management, Purchasing, Estimating, Design and Manufacturing coordination. You will be responsible for ensuring projects move efficiently from contract and design through purchasing, production and completion.

Our manufacturing facility operates much like an assembly line. Drawings, materials, labour, decisions and information must all be ready ahead of production. When something threatens the schedule, we need a leader who identifies the problem early, brings the right people together and drives a solution.

We are looking for someone who is firm, decisive and accountable, while also being an exceptional people leader who knows how to motivate teams and build a positive, high-performance culture.

What You Will Be Responsible For

• Lead and coordinate Project Management, Purchasing, Estimating, Design and Manufacturing execution to ensure projects remain aligned from award through completion.
• Take ownership of project execution, ensuring drawings, materials, labour, approvals and decisions are ready ahead of the production line.
• Drive projects forward with urgency. Identify roadblocks early and move teams toward solutions rather than allowing problems to stall production.
• Maintain strong oversight of project budgets, costs, schedules and margins, ensuring operational decisions are commercially responsible.
• Work closely with Project Managers to ensure projects are properly planned, communicated and executed.
• Hold managers and team members accountable for commitments, deadlines, budgets and deliverables.
• Ensure Purchasing and inventory planning support production requirements while controlling material costs, waste, excess inventory and expedited purchasing.
• Coordinate with Estimating and Design to ensure project information and production drawings are complete, accurate and available when required.
• Continuously evaluate workflow, plant efficiency, labour utilization and production processes to improve throughput.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives using lean manufacturing and practical process improvement principles.
• Establish clear operational KPIs and regularly report on schedule, budget, productivity, project risks and operational performance.
• Protect project margins through strong cost control, change management and disciplined operational decision-making.
• Participate in production, project and site meetings and intervene quickly when schedules, costs, quality or client commitments are at risk.
• Interpret construction drawings, specifications and project requirements and help coordinate revisions or changes when required.
• Ensure safety, quality and regulatory requirements remain fundamental to project execution.
• Support strategic planning, manufacturing growth and future expansion initiatives with the President.

Leadership & Culture

The right person understands that operational performance and culture go hand in hand.

You will be expected to:

• Build a culture of accountability, urgency, teamwork and solutions.
• Set clear expectations and follow through when commitments are not met.
• Be visible and engaged with both office and manufacturing teams.
• Develop managers and future leaders within the organization.
• Recognize strong performance and address poor performance directly.
• Encourage communication between departments rather than allowing operational silos.
• Remain calm and decisive when projects encounter challenges.
• Create an environment where employees understand the goal, know what is expected of them and are motivated to achieve it.

We want a leader who can be firm without creating unnecessary friction - someone people respect because expectations are clear, decisions are fair and they know their leader will help remove obstacles when the team needs support.

Experience & Qualifications

The successful candidate will ideally bring:

• 10+ years of progressive construction, manufacturing or operational leadership experience, with significant responsibility for people, projects and financial performance.
• At least 5 years in a senior leadership or senior project management capacity.
• Experience managing multiple complex construction or manufacturing projects simultaneously.
• Strong understanding of project management, scheduling, estimating, purchasing, design coordination and manufacturing workflow.
• Experience in modular construction, off-site construction, manufacturing, general contracting or a similar fast-paced construction environment is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to manage project budgets and understand cost-to-complete, margins, change management and operational financial performance.
• Experience with lean manufacturing, production-line environments or continuous improvement is an asset.
• Ability to read and understand construction drawings, specifications and contracts.
• Degree, diploma or equivalent experience in Construction Management, Engineering, Operations Management, Building Construction or a related discipline.

The Person We Are Looking For

You may be a strong Director of Operations, Construction Operations Manager, Senior Project Manager or Manufacturing Operations Leader who is ready to take broader ownership of an organization.

You are someone who:

• Has energy and urgency and enjoys getting things accomplished.
• Naturally looks for the solution rather than dwelling on the problem.
• Understands that every delay has a cost.
• Is financially disciplined and looks for smarter, more cost-effective ways to operate.
• Can make difficult decisions and communicate them clearly.
• Holds people accountable while maintaining strong working relationships.
• Is highly organized and capable of managing many moving pieces simultaneously.
• Understands the connection between design, purchasing, labour, production schedule and project profitability.
• Communicates issues upward early - no surprises.
• Enjoys developing people and building strong teams.
• Wants to become part of a privately owned company and contribute to its long-term growth.

Why Northgate?

Modular construction is becoming an increasingly important part of the future of construction. Northgate combines decades of manufacturing experience with an entrepreneurial environment where decisions can be made quickly and strong leaders can have a meaningful impact.

We are looking for someone who wants more than their next position. We want a leader who sees the opportunity to build a team, improve an operation, grow with the company and help shape the next chapter of Northgate Industries.